Reliant AKC Dog Show Weekend

This past weekend was the Reliant AKC dog show. It was at this same show a year ago, that I entered Grace in her very first rally event, so it was fun to back a year later. Leading up to this show, we already had one leg towards Graces RA title, and needed to Q both days to earn it. What I was most looking forward to this event, was all the friends that I knew would be there. I had Obedience friends, Agility friends and rescue friends all there! Plus, I made a few more!

Day 1: Saturday was the most difficult day for me. It started off with not being able to find the right lot to park in.  Finally after driving to 3 different lots and asking a half a dozen attendants, I found it! After unloading and getting Grace settled, I checked in and watched the Excellence people finish up their runs. I didn't want to stray too far, as my small Advanced group was next, and I didn't know if the judge was going to start early (they were ahead of schedule) or at the arranged time.

Right around then one of my Agility friends came to find me and was nice enough to record our run for me. The course we did that day, was one of the hardest I have ever done, and I think my nerves got the best of me and Grace.

It wasn't our best run by far, but we did earn a Q and 4th place, with a score of 73.... Like I said, not our best. Grace did everything I asked, but was just lagging a lot, and I think most of it had to do with my nerves and uncertainty. When I look back at the video, it looks better then it felt! When I was in the ring, it felt like she was 10 feet behind me! We had trouble at 2 stations. The "Off set figure 8 w/ distractions". Grace was quite weary of the bowls LOL! But we worked though it. The other station was #16 "Leave dog, 2 steps, call to heel, forward". The station everyone in my group "failed". After taking our 2 steps, we all stopped, called dog and continued. We weren't suppose to stop after the 2 steps. So a rookie mistake and I now know for next time.

Leg #2 and a 4th place!

One tired pup on the way home.

Day 2: Sunday was a much better day! Score wise and my for my nervousness. I got there and just chilled, I didn't do much warming up, per the suggestion of one of my Obedience friends. I just played and added a few finishes and stuff in there. Our run felt so much better, far from perfect, but much better. We earned our last leg towards her title with a score of 93! and a 1st place! Grace even got the zoomies afterwards and eagerly played with the toy she earned, which is pretty rare for her.

RA title and a 1st place!

Grace and I! Photo thanks to my friends 3yr old son :)

 Introducing Chloe Grace RA CGC!!!

There were more titles earned by all my friends! Obedience and Agility alike! My friend, Courtney, over at Amstaffs in the Garden, and her dog Charlie earned their CD title! and had a pretty good debut in Utility with her old girl Violet. My agility friend and her dog Red (you've seen him here on my blog many of times) earned their MXJ title! What a great weekend!

The other highlight of the weekend was hanging out with Graces' rescue group and running into the the vet that treated her during her time as a foster dog! We were literally leaving, walking to the car, when we ran into a lady pottying her 3 English Setters and asked if this was Chloe Grace. It was really fun talking to her and hearing her stories. Shortly later an another lady comes up and says there were about to take a picture of all the working English Setters and wanted to know it I would like to join them! I said SURE! I hope to contact the vet and get a copy of the picture :)

Great weekend all around!

Big weekend ahead!

This weekend is the Reliant dog show, and I have signed Grace up for Saturday and Sunday. I am excited but very nervous at the same time. If we do good both days, she can earn her Rally Advanced title. I hope she doesn't get too distracted by all the new smells and noises, but if I can keep her focus, I have no doubt we will do fine.

I am excited to see all my Rally and Agility friends! I will know a lot more people this year and that just makes it all that much more fun. Watching and cheering everyone on! Also on top of seeing all my friends, Grace's rescue group will be there and are so excited to see her compete! Unfortunately, her old foster mom couldn't make it, but will be cheering us on from afar.

Between all my friends there, I hope to snag someone to get some video for me :)

LET'S GO GRACIE!

Heat wave and training

Ok, so I know I haven't been blogging lately.... sorry about that. Things here have gotten slow and HOT!!! And I mean hot, not like "oh it's warm today" or "yea it's kinda hot", I mean like "HOLY SHIT SHERLOCK HOT!". It has been well in the upper 90s and 100s with humidity sky high, which make doing things outside very difficult and unpleasant. So, in turn we have been doing tricks and training inside, in the A/C.

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First off, Riley still was not getting the concept of weaving. We were stuck on the treat stick and I was frustrated we weren't moving forward. So what do I do? Push it away and forget, out of sight out of mind....right?

Of course that's not the right thing to do, but it's all I wanted to do at the time. Then one day in agility class a friend (who just switched to the same time as Riley and I) asked how we were doing on weaves. It was like he knew we were having trouble! I said "weaves? what weaves?" He laughed and asked if I heard of 2x2.

He explained how he and his dog did it and I had also seen the 2x2 method done by some fellow bloggers. I was a little wiry about doing it because Riley isn't really toy motivated. Shoot, what the heck! I'll give it a try!

I started with a treat container I threw, but even then, Riley only cared for a few reps. Then I used a squeaky tennis ball and BAM! Crazy Riley appears! Followed by progress! Did you hear that? PROGRESS! We are just up to two sets of 2x2's but he actually looks like a weaver!!!

I'll post a video of his latest weaves soon.

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Second, I've been working with Grace and her Rally skills. She is doing great but just needs some fine tuning on the basic things, she has a tendency to swing her hind end out when she sits. We are participating in a 'show and go' this weekend and it will be our first ever competition like setting (mid July we are participating in a official rally event at the Reliant Center!). I am nervous but excited at the same time. We have been practicing here at home (which is easy) and I've taken her to the petsmart that's close by and working her there (which is harder), getting her use to noises, sights and distractions.

Most definitely will be posting video of the show and go and of us at the Reliant Center!

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I really need to get my camera back out and start taking pictures again!!! And I promise to write more then once a month!

Oh, P.S. I ordered the pups new collars so you are guaranteed pictures in the near future LOL :D